Kelly Carlin, daughter of the late comedian George Carlin, has expressed her disapproval for the comedy special entitled “George Carlin: I’m Glad I’m Dead,” which utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) to recreate her father’s voice and image. In a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter), Carlin emphasized that her father spent his life honing his craft using his own human experience, imagination, and intellect, asserting that no machine could ever replace his genius. She criticized these AI-generated products as mere attempts to recreate an irreplaceable mind and urged audiences to let the artist’s original work speak for itself.
The debate around reviving deceased entertainers has long been a subject of contention. The use of holograms to simulate performances by late artists like Tupac Shakur, Whitney Houston, and Amy Winehouse has generated both outrage and discussion regarding the ethics and appropriateness of such ventures. Kelly Carlin further criticized society’s fear of emptiness and proposed that attention should be directed towards living human comedians who possess their own unique voices and perspectives.
For those seeking genuine George Carlin material, Carlin’s daughter pointed out that her father has a rich collection of 14 specials widely available for anyone interested. George Carlin, a revered comedian, passed away in 2008 at the age of 71 due to congestive heart failure.
The controversial comedy special was produced by Dudesy, an AI comedian known for its podcast and YouTube show featuring comedians Will Sasso and Chad Kultgen as cohosts. The special begins with a disclaimer from Dudesy, clarifying that the voice audiences will hear is not that of the real George Carlin, but rather an impression developed in a manner similar to how human impressionists work. Dudesy claims to have meticulously studied George Carlin’s material in order to imitate his voice, delivery, and demeanor, comparing the act to Andy Kaufman impersonating Elvis or Will Ferrell impersonating George W. Bush.
CNN has reached out to Dudesy for their response to the controversy, but no comment has been received yet.